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After receiving an ovarian tissue transplant in her abdomen, an Australian woman who survived ovarian cancer is pregnant with twins. Researchers said the case marked a new step in reproductive treatments for patients facing cancer.

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Researchers reported in the journal Human Reproduction that 10 out of 32 autologous ovarian tissue transplant recipients in Denmark who wanted to have a child became pregnant and gave birth. In some cases, the tissue remained active for as long as 10 years. "This technique still needs to be further validated, but the results are reassuring," said Dr. Yacoub Khalaf, who directs the Assisted Conception Unit at Guy's Hospital in London. Denmark covers the procedure to help women with cancer preserve their fertility.

A deal was recently signed by the Belgian company VolitionRx and Singapore General Hospital to start a pilot study that could establish the usefulness of the firm's NuQ test as an early-stage diagnostic tool for ovarian cancer. The hospital will supply VolitionRx with 20 blood samples from healthy donors and 20 matched tissue and blood samples from ovarian cancer patients for analysis. Intellectual property from the trial will be held by VolitionRx.

Scottish researchers have developed a technique designed to reduce the need for islet cell transplant donors, which in turn may help improve procedure wait times for those with type 1 diabetes. The procedure involves providing an initial transplant from one donor and then using a part of the donated cells to generate more beta cells, which are then given to the patient in a second transplant.

Congress should safeguard the rights of patients to sue drugmakers for injuries, actor Dennis Quaid told the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday. Quaid and his wife are suing Baxter International for placing different doses of its blood thinner into similar packages, which they say contributed to the near-fatal overdose of their newborn twins. A senior FDA official, though, said the agency's decisions on "the safety, efficacy and labeling of medical products should not be second-guessed by state courts" and that patients could still sue if firms market drugs and medical devices that did not meet conditions for regulatory approval.

Scientists have performed the first successful ovarian tissue transplant, advancing fertility preservation options for women prior to cancer treatment. The transplant, performed in February 2006, was between non-identical sisters, and a year after the surgery, the patient has produced two mature eggs.